Sweet Spots for Cirrus SR22 Aircraft

I’m writing to the pilot that’s considering the transition from flying aluminum into advanced performance composite aircraft and in particular Cirrus Aircraft. In this series of blogs, I’ve worked to answer some of the questions that I encountered during the pre-buy, purchase process, and early ownership.

This year, based on “asking prices,” the market highlights five sweet spots among pre-owned Cirrus SR22 aircraft and each area has a different price point.

Best values among pre-owned Cirrus SR22 Aircraft

SR22 Centennial Edition Pre-G2

SR22-G2

SR22TN-G3 Turbo Avidyne

SR22TN-G3 Turbo Perspective

SR22-G5

SR22 Centennial Edition Pre-G2

The 2003 SR22 Centennial Edition is a great value entry point. Cirrus loaded these planes with a robust avionics package including the Avidyne PFD and MFD, engine monitoring, and added unique interior and exterior touches. Expect an entry price at or below $190,000 for low-time aircraft with desirable owner upgrades.

You can also find late model pre-G2 planes with the Avidyne PFD and MFD and significant aftermarket upgrades that are a good value as well.

SR22-G2

“Stable” is the word that characterizes availability and prices in the category of Generation Two Cirrus Aircraft. This year, you’ll find general asking prices below $260,000 for low-time aircraft, with air-conditioning and desirable aftermarket upgrades.

My focus was only on GTS models when first studying this category because it simplified the comparison between planes. I realize now that some owners purchased fully loaded non-GTS planes because they wanted a different interior package than the early GTS. So if you want fully loaded, include non-GTS models in your search but realize you’ll have to study the model to know exactly what you’re getting.

The SR22-G2 went through many design changes from 2004 to 2006. I have posted previously on the subject and there are many articles written on the topic as well.

SR22TN-G3 Turbo Avidyne

The 2007 model year is the first opportunity to fly the new G3 and with it Cirrus gained a “wing-up.” The major wing design changes were specifically for the benefit of turbo. Cirrus engineers spent over two years designing, testing and refining the SR22-G3 which resulted in 700 changes and system improvements to the plane.

The 2007-2008 Turbo SR22TN-G3 is a value sweet spot over its normally aspirated Avidyne brethren. Why would you purchase a normally aspirated model when the turbo is available with little to no price difference?

Expect a budget entry price around $310,000 for low-time Turbo SR22TN-G3 Avidyne with air-conditioning, enhanced paint schemes, built-in oxygen and desirable aftermarket upgrades. These planes should also be the first to have factory installed WAAS GPS avionics.

SR22TN-G3 Turbo Perspective

The 2008 SR22TN-G3 Turbo is a sweet spot among Perspective aircraft because the price point is now very close to the 2008 normally aspirated Perspective. Entry price is around $400,000 for a 2008 Cirrus Perspective SR22TN-G3 with low-time and air-conditioning. The first Perspectives were manufactured in 2008 and very few shipped that year.

Cirrus Perspective SR22 Flight Deck, photo by wikiWings

The Perspective by Garmin flight deck was an avionics quintessential design change for Cirrus, and should have properly received a new generation designation. Although not officially stated, the 2008 Perspective must be the “missing G4” series of Cirrus Aircraft.

But alas, at that time some internal issues probably precluded the designation. There really is no other good explanation. Cirrus essentially jumped over the unofficial Generation Four model when they announced the “G5” in 2013.

Look for typical turbo model features which you’ll not always see on normally aspirated planes:

Precise flight built-in oxygen system that is integrated into the Perspective Crew Alert System (CAS).

Yaw damper which is only available with the Perspective. You’ll want this feature whether you go turbo or not.

GAMIjector System which are not on normally aspirated SR22 series from the factory. Some normally aspirated planes may have aftermarket installations.

Estimated Production Quantity of Cirrus Perspectives in 2008

Year

Model

Avionics Package

Mfg. Estimate

2008

SR22TN Turbo

Perspective

125

2008

SR22 Non-Turbo

Perspective

90

Note: Some of these Cirrus SR22’s shipped internationally and are not available in the US.

SR22-G5

If you want the 200 lb increase in useful load along with the standard five passenger 60/40 flex seating in the rear, then the 2013 SR22-G5 model must be your value sweet spot. Entry price is around $600,000 for low-time, aircraft with air-conditioning.

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wikiWings

Jeff Brewer is an entrepreneur, pilot and aviation writer. He's the Founder of wikiWings with the Vision of connecting aviators so they can lower their cost of general aviation flying.
He’s enjoyed flying for over 20 years and has more than 1,600 hours of flight time in piston engine aircraft; including Turbo Cirrus SR22TN-G3 Perspective, Cessna 152, 172, 182; Piper Warrior, Archer, Arrow and Aztec.
He has been a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association since 1992 and a member in several aviation type clubs.
The author’s current home base is Houston, Texas.